March 3919] LORD RI DDELL'S INTIMATE DIARY

R. : It is obvious that any estimate must be very sketchy
and extremely doubtful The matter will have to be decided by
three or four sensible men acting on broad lines. The settlement
of an indemnity is not like the plan of a building. You don't
want accurate measurements. The figure must be more or less
approximate. The chief thing is an early decision.

L. G. : Yes, but the trouble is that we cannot get the
French to come to an agreement. However, I hope to make
some progress next week.

R. : It looks as if it is going to be a race between peace
and anarchy. Until peace is signed the world will not settle
down to work. Everything is held up. Commercial men will
not place orders, and manufacturers will not start new enter-
prises. [Note. I have been pressing for more publicity as to
the proceedings of the Conference and the Committees. The
world does not appreciate what is being done nor the diffi-
culties of the situation. This increases the impatience of the
public.]

L. G. : I dined with Briand1 the other night. He says that
Clemenceau is losing ground rapidly and that the opposition
in the Chamber is growing. Of course that was to be expected.
When I decided in December to have an election, I saw there
would be considerable dissatisfaction in the country for some
time to come, and that it was desirable to have a fresh Parlia-
ment. I cannot say that the House of Commons is quite what
I should have desired. At the same time, it is a new Parliament,
elected to deal with present-day issues, whereas the French
Parliament is out of date. As soon as the pressure of the war was
over Clemenceau could not be sure of adequate Parliamentary
support. I think he should have followed our example and had
an election, but he let the opportunity slip. I think Briand
will succeed him. Perhaps he is better suited to deal with
present-day problems than Clemenceau, particularly in view
of the latter's increasing feebleness, due no doubt to his
having been shot. A man of seventy-seven, however vigorous,
cannot be shot in the lungs with impunity. Of course Clemen-
ceau was much better for war than Briand. There was no
comparison. The old man had the true war spirit. He stands
1 French Premier and Foreign Minister, 1915-17; 1921-22 ; d. 1932.

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